Supreme Court Taxing Office

Practice Direction

2006 No. 7

The Legal Aid for Crown Court Proceedings (Costs) Rules (Northern Ireland) 2005

Payment of disbursements in Very High Cost Cases under Rule 16

When a Very High Cost Case Certificate is issued in respect of any criminal case under Rule 16 of the above Rules, (without prejudice to the other provisions in that Rule) the Legal Services Commission have no further responsibility for the assessment of costs (including disbursements) and this responsibility passes to the Master (Taxing Office) under Rule 17.

The Rules make no provision for the granting of prior authorities in respect of unusually high costs or disbursements in Very High Cost Cases.  As such, from the date of this Practice Direction applications for prior authorities in cases certified under Rule 16 should not be made to either the Legal Services Commission or the Master.

Solicitors should take care to ensure that all work is reasonably undertaken and properly done, and that all disbursements are reasonably incurred in the conduct of proceedings and when seeking payment or interim payment should furnish to the Taxing Office details of such expense and the reasons why the same became necessary.

This Practice Direction shall only apply to cases in respect of which a Very High Cost Case Certificate is issued after today’s date.

Dated 26^th October 2006.

J CHRISTOPHER NAPIER

MASTER (TAXING OFFICE)